Bethany’s location overlooking the Minnesota River Valley affords excellent viewing opportunities for migrating birds. A total of 182 bird species have been recorded on campus and raptors like eagles, falcons, hawks, and vultures migrate along the river corridor. Since 2004, when data was first collected, over 29,000 raptors have been observed migrating through the Minnesota River Valley during their fall migration. The Bethany Hawkwatch averages nearly 2,500 raptors each season between August 15 and December 15.
In 2010, the Bethany Hawkwatch joined Hawkcount which is a clearing house for data from across the country. That data can then be used for determining the health of raptor populations across North America. Check out the Bethany Hawkwatch web site.